On The Other Side
by fowlfan
Summary: Years after her run in with the Other Mother, Coraline seems to dismiss these memories as dreams. What happens, though, when she is pulled back into this nightmare world? What happens when the Beldam wins? T for mild cursing and gore/horror in later chaps
1. Words in the Dark

**A/N: Just to make this point clear, this story is based on Coraline, the book by Neil Gaiman. Not the movie, that's why it's in the book section. And yes, this is the typical, the return of the Other Mother story.**

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The three girls tip-toed into the darkened room, tensing as each step caused a small squeek in the old floor boards of the old apartment. They gathered in the middle of the room and sat down next to the sheet covered furniture. One girl placed a box inbetween the three of them.

"Gina, I told you. My parents don't like me in this room, especially not at midnight!" Coraline Jones, a girl of 15 complained. Gina rolled her eyes.

"Come on scardey cat; your parents sleep like logs anyway. What's the worse that could happen? Samantha, grab the Ouija board." Gina was hopelessly obsessed with spirits and ghosts, she had thought that the creepy living room would be the perfect place to talk to the 'beyond'.

As her two friends set the Ouija board up, Coraline sat uncomfortably on the floor between her friends. For as long as she could remember, she hadn't liked this room. She vaguely remembered nightmares that she had had when they first moved into the apartment, the details dimmed over time. All she could recall were odd bits, like a cold feeling everytime she looked at the bricked up door, and something about a key. She shrugged the feeling off.

"Ready!", whispered Samantha, "Put your hands on the pointer."

"It's called a planchette," corrected Gina.

"It's called a I-really-don't-care-put-your-freakin'-hands-on-it." Coraline stiffled a giggle as Samantha shot back at Gina.

The three sat around the board, all having their hands on the small piece of wood. Gina whispered in a solemn voice. "Hello. Are there any spirits in this dark room tonight? We three wish to contact you." Samantha almost laughed at how serious she was being, Coraline quickly elbowed her. "Please, show us your message."

The planchette started to move underneath their fingers. Coraline's heart started to race. "C-O-R," she whispered as they were being spelt out on the board, "-A-L-I-N-E. What?"

"Stop messing with the board, Coraline," reprimanded Gina.

"I didn't do anything!" Coraline said, barely keeping her voice to a whisper. She was scared. Why did the board spell her name?

Suddenly Samantha made a rather large squeek and jumped up. "SHHH," hissed both girls. They all stayed quiet for a minute, listening for sounds from Coraline's parents rooms. Coraline slowly exhaled.

"Something touched my arm," explained Samantha, hesitantly sitting down.

"It must be the spirits," Gina said jokingly. Samantha slapped her arm. "Shut up!"

"Get over it, I want to keep going," Gina replied. Coraline looked around the room. They weren't near any furniture or anything, she didn't see anything that could have touched her friend. The room was really dark however. The shadows blended together, making the outlines of everything menacing looking. There was little moonlight filtering through the thin curtains in front of the windows. Coraline shivered.

Coraline didn't want to continue, she wanted to go back to bed and hide herself under the covers. She was starting to feel sick. She really didn't like anything scary, scary movies, surprises, anything. Reluctantly she placed her hands back on the pointer, telling herself that she was being ridiculous.

The planchette moved once more under the pressure of their fingertips. Once again it spelled Coraline's name. "Guys..." Coraline started to complain.

"Shhh," Gina cut her off.

The planchette started to spell another word. It took a few minutes to spell completely.

'THIS TIME YOU LOSE."

"Guys, what does that mean?" Coraline asked, scared. Both of her friends looked scared too. "Let's stop," she suggested.

"Yah...EEEK!" Gina cried out. Samantha clamped a hand over Gina's mouth.

"Shut up!" hissed Coraline. Gina rubbed her leg, eyes wide.

"Something touched me too," she explained.

"Y-you're kidding, right?" Coraline asked. She really hoped this was all a joke.

"No, really! It was cold, and sharp feeling,"

"That's what I felt!" Samantha quietly exclaimed.

"Let's go back to bed. Now." Coraline said firmly. As she started to get up something brushed past her leg. She gasped, and tried to see what it was. The thing darted out of her view into the shadows. She could hear an odd, soft, clattering noise on the ground.

"What the shit?" Samantha cursed, she and Gina jumped up as well.

The sound of movement stopped suddenly. Coraline looked around, trying to see where the thing was, too scared to actually run to her room. Coraline gasped.

There, on the Ouji board in the middle of the three of them, was a disembodied hand, with long scragly fingers and finger nails. It was filthy, dirt and grime covered it. What Coraline noticed the most though was the key that was tied onto it's back with some sort of plant. Sudden recognition flashed through her brain.

"The Other Mother's hand," she whispered.

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**A/N: Just so you know, Coraline thinks that all that happened with the Other Mother before was just a dream. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	2. A Tear Filled Reunion

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long on this chapter, I'm...uh...very busy...(ie: lazy). A special huge awesome thanks to my beta, BeyondxHatred for her wonderful editing, she really made this chapter a whole lot better. Check out her stories too if you have the time. I hope you enjoy!**

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Chapter 2: Reunion

Recap:  
There, on the Ouji board in the middle of the three of them, was a  
disembodied hand, with long scraggly fingers and fingernails. It was filthy,  
dirt and grime covered it. What Coraline noticed the most, though, was the key  
that was tied onto its back with a mud coated fern. Sudden recognition flashed through her mind .  
"The Other Mother's hand," she whispered.

Coraline stood, frozen in place, oblivious to the screams that were now piercing the air as her friends saw the hand. Memories flashed off in her head, mixed up and out of order. Three pale marbles with whispering voices. The entirely familiar, yet strange and exciting new world created by the Other Mother. A disembodied hand falling down into the well, taking along with it the cold skeletal key. Being chased after by hoards of rats. And, last but not least, the Other Mother, with her black button eyes and enticing smile.

The hand on the floor must have sensed that she had seen it and started to move. Coraline watched as it scampered over to the bricked up door and, in one fluid movement, leaped up and cut loose the key that was tied onto it with its talon-like fingernails. The hand managed to get the key into the slot and turned the handle. The door swung open and, instead of bricks, there was utter darkness. The hand dropped down, managing to keep the key with it as it ran through the doorway.

Coraline found herself running after the hand; past her friends who were running the other way, out of the room. As she passed the threshold of the door, everything turned pitch black. She ran blindly through the long hallway, tripping over things she couldn't see. She could hear the Other Mother's hand ahead of her, slowed down by its metal burden. Coraline knew that she had to reach the hand before it got to the door at the end of the hall. If that door was unlocked, the Other Mother would be able to reach into her own world again and cause immeasurable amounts of damage. Surely she wasn't too far behind the hand, she thought. She didn't think of any alternative other than catching the hand. As she ran faster, still she thought of ways to get rid of that retched thing. Burn it maybe, and then melt the key down to nothing.

Suddenly, she couldn't hear the tapping noises of the moving hand. Coraline panicked. Where had it gone? She hurried forward to reach it. There was a loud click that reverberated through the spacious cavern. Coraline was still running forward as a blinding slit of light broke its way through at the end of the hallway. She discovered it to be only ten feet away. Before she could react, an arm shot out from behind the door, slamming into her face. Coraline screamed as sharp talons seemed to dig into her scalp. The hand tightened its grip and dragged her forward through the door.

Hoisted several feet off the floor by a grip on top of her head, Coraline could see her worst nightmare. The Other Mother's black button eyes stared straight into hers. The wretched monster was in a frightening form, she was almost as tall as the ceiling, thin and elongated. Her features of her face were sharp and hideous, especially with the sadistic smile that adorned it.

"My dear sweet Coraline, I'm so glad to have you back," the Other Mother crooned. Her voice sounded exactly like Coraline's true mother's. The tone was mockingly sweet, and deadly. "I have been waiting so long for you to come back to me."

Coraline could start to feel something warm rolling down her forehead. Her head felt like it was on fire. The Other Mother's eyes glinted, and suddenly Coraline was flung into a nearby couch in the living room. She knocked into the back of it hard and she felt her back crack slightly. She slumped over; in to much pain to actually move.

"You see, no one can just leave. I always win." Her button eyes flicked down to the floor where her right hand was. She knelt down and held out a stumped arm; the hand jumped up and connected itself.

"Do you know how bothersome it was to get this hand out of that well?" She questioned, glided over to the couch Coraline lay limply on top of. The Other Mother tipped Coraline's head up with a dagger sharp fingernail. "I couldn't even see what I was doing; it was so dark down there. And that rotten key kept falling off the back of my hand. It took me an entire year just to scratch a hole through those planks you put on top of it!" Coraline winced as the fingernail pushed closer to her skin. The woman smiled sickly.

"But that doesn't matter now, though, does it? I have you back now, and it's about time you were punished for running away from your poor mother."

"No!" shouted Coraline as she tried to slap the Other Mother's hand away from beneath her throat. Her hand was caught before it made contact. "Let me GO!" she shouted, trying to struggle. The Other Mother took hold of Coraline's throat and pinned it against the back of the couch. She couldn't breathe; spots were forming in front of her eyes as tears streamed down her face.

"How dare you try to strike your mother?!" she shrieked. Her hair was coiling around her head now, floating in an invisible current. Coraline was gasping for air. "Apologize to me immediately!" Coraline sputtered and gagged. The Other Mother let go of her throat. Coraline sucked in the oxygen greedily, filling her empty lungs.

"S-sorry," she coughed out. The Other Mother smiled in triumph. Fear was crushing Coralina as she was just starting to realize how hopeless everything was. She whispered in fright, "What are you going to do to me?"

The Other Mother's face stretched slowly into a Cheshire grin; her dagger sharp teeth glistening. "Oh don't worry, my dear, I have a lot in store for you." Coraline was once again lifted up in the air, this time by her hair. She screeched in pain, which was twice as bad from the cuts across her scalp. The Other Mother ghosted through the other apartment, heading to where Coraline's bedroom should be. The door creaked open by itself and the witch threw her the bleeding child onto the floor.

"I hope you don't mind staying in here for a while," the beldam taunted. Before Coraline could pick her head off the floor, the door closed shut with a click. A click that signified her loss of freedom and possibly her very life. She slowly picked herself up, using the bed for support. Sitting down on it, she surveyed her prison. The room was a lot different from her own back at home. It still resembled how it had looked when she was younger, yet slightly deformed. The walls curved in slightly near the ceiling and the treasure chest, bookcase and bed seemed slightly disproportionate.

She took the pillowcase off of the pillow behind her and pressed it against her bleeding scalp, tears coming to her eyes as it stung. She thought about how she would never see her parents again, or her friends, or anyone for that matter. The tears started to fall down her blood stained face as she thought more and more about her situation. She couldn't expect a very promising future ahead of her. She didn't know what the Other Mother would put her through, or how bad it would hurt.

Maybe the horrible creature would just leave her in her room to die, though Coraline doubted this scenario. The Other Mother was too bent on revenge to dole out her punishment mercifully. The poor girl couldn't keep out other ideas of what would be inflicted upon her. Each thought grew darker and darker as she contemplated her own death.

Coraline's body was being racked with sobs at this point. She tried unsuccessfully to be quiet, and knew that the monster outside could hear her despair. Giving up being quiet; she wept openly, her face red and drenched as she pressed it into the pillow on the bed. Her hysterics were exhausting and after what felt like a long time she was pulled under into unconsciousness; curled on the bed that was not hers in a world that was made to bring her end.


	3. Unending Horrors

**A/N: You all have the right to kill me, I've taken so long in putting up this chapter. I've been sorta busy and this chapter suffered time-wise. Also, my beta has been very busy as well and wasn't able to give me her lovely input for this chapter, so if it has too many mistakes I am very sorry! Oh, *WARNING* this chapter is sorta violent... just so you know.**

Chapter 3

_Recap:_

_Coraline's body was being racked with sobs at this point. She tried unsuccessfully to be quiet, and knew that the monster outside could hear her despair. Giving up being quiet; she wept openly, her face red and drenched as she pressed it into the pillow on the bed. Her hysterics were exhausting and after what felt like a long time she was pulled under into unconsciousness; curled on the bed that was not hers in a world that was made to bring her end._

It was the whispers that woke Coraline up. Raising her head quickly off the pillow, she jerked her eyes around the room. The girl was disoriented, the room was dark and she couldn't remember why she was there in the first place. Her head was hurting too bad, the pain pulsed through her skull with a slow tempo. _Thump thump, thump thump._ Holding her head in her hands she tried to remember what had happened as she looked around.

Her room was lit by a blood red night light that cast long shadows behind the furniture. The dark shadows seemed to shift ever so slightly in front of her eyes. Rubbing her exhausted retinas, she moved into a sitting position.

There was a very quiet noise in the room, almost like a whisper. It was as soft as the wind, yet the small windows in the room were shut tight. She closed her eyes and tried not to pay attention to her aching head, instead focusing on this small hint of sound. It grew clearer as she concentrated. It was little voices, whispering a high pitched harmony that chilled her heart.

We are dark and we are hidden

We are hidden we are strong

We were here when you escaped

We all know your time's not long

The voices were eerily familiar. Realization of where she was starting to slowly dawn on her. She clutched her head again, not to stop her head from throbbing, but to hold down the memories that were trying to break through. Looking down at her pillow in a fetal position she saw it was covered in blood.

Her blood, because of the Other Mother's talons.

Coraline shuddered violently, images of her horrible jailer filling her mind, recognition finally breaking through. She remembered that she was trapped in the Other World, with no hope of escaping.

Around her the room started to move. The spindly shadows wormed their way up the walls and towards her bed. Horrified, Coraline pushed herself backwards and pressed against her wall, cornered. The shadows creeped up onto the bed spread. Up close she could see the weren't shadows at all. Instead she was surrounded by thousands upon thousands of pitch black rats, she could see their mangy fur and long whiskers coming closer to her. Their eyes were glowing red, on fire. She cried out at the top of her lungs as they converged onto where she cowered.

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Coraline jolted out of her bed, still screaming. She frantically looked around for the rats that had just been covering her, but all she saw was her normal bedroom at home. Her two friends lay in sleeping bags on the floor, surprisingly not woken up from her yells.

Taking deep breaths she held her face in her hands. Her skin was clammy as she had broken out into a cold sweat. It all had been a dream, she told herself, she and her friends had finished with the ouija board then snuck back to bed. There had been no return of the monster from behind the bricked up door, she was safe. Tears started to fall from her eyes in relief as she realized that she was in no danger.

After a minute she slowly eased herself under her own covers and buried her face into her own pillow and took a deep calming breath. Just a dream, she repeated over and over in her head, just a dream.

There was suddenly a loud crack the split through the room, causing Coraline to jolt out of bed. She looked down on the floor to see if her friends had heard the noise as well. In the darkened room she could see the silhouette of one of her friends sitting up, facing away from Coraline's bed.

"Gina?" called Coraline softly, she felt a little scared. Gina slowly brought her hand up to her throat then made a strange croak. "Are you O.K.?" Coraline persisted.

Gina turned toward the bed. Coraline gasped. Her friends face was melting, the mouth falling off her head. Her throat was seemingly cut open and bleeding profusely.

"Why, Coraline? Why?" the thing pleaded in a disturbing gargling voice. Coraline found herself screaming at the horror in front of her. Over her noise she could hear the creature asking even more audible. "Why did you do this to me Coraline? Why? WHY?"

The frightened teen jumped of her bed and rushed toward the door, trying to escape. The exit wouldn't yield, even as she yanked on the door handle. She was screaming for help as the-thing-that-had-been-Gina was getting up of the floor and heading toward her. Samantha was also awake, and in the same shape as her deformed friend.

"What did I do?!" Cried Coraline, still fruitlessly tugging on the door. Gina was right behind her, though Coraline refused to face her. Long talon fingers wrapped around Coraline's neck from behind and the creature whispered into her ear.

"You've killed us Coraline. You opened the door, then you killed us," the voice was horrific yet so sad. Coraline was unable to move, the fingers tightened around her airways. She sputtered for breath.

The deformed Samantha was still on the floor, sobbing. "It's all your fault Coraline! Why?!" she cried out. Because of her tears her eyes slid faster down her face.

"You murdered us Coraline. Now its time for you to die," whispered the Gina creature into her ear. Coraline tried to scream, until she blacked out from lack of oxygen.

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Coraline would awake from these nightmares every time to only find herself in another. The horrors included the death of every member of her family, whether it be by her hands or not. The nightmares preyed on every fear she had ever had, her fear of ghosts, surprises, death. Every nightmare was worse than the last, and Coraline never made it out of one without dying in the end.

After awhile she would run away from the people she had once loved, it hurt too hard to see the atrocities that would happen to them. Slowly Coraline started to hate eveyone close to her, she shunned them from her memory in a desperate attempt to protect herself from the nightmares.

The teen was never sure what was real or what was a dream. She stopped believing in reality. Coraline slowly started to lose her mind, the monsters stole away her sanity. Her prison broke her down bit by bit. After so many tortures she was reduced to a quivering mass in one corner of her room.

For what felt like an eternity she would endure the torture, until one day nothing happened. The walls stood still, no one was murdered in front of her eyes, no one attacked her. Everything was quiet.

This scared her more than anything.

She had started to hyperventilate in suspense, waiting. Waiting for the punishment she recieved at all times, although she couldn't remember committing a crime. She couldn't remember much however, she only dimly remembered who had put her in this container. She couldn't remember how things were when everything was normal. In her world there was no normal.

The door creaked open and Coraline shuddered. Pain was going to come, and she was never ready for it. Eyes on the doorway she saw a tall woman enter. She had a gentle smile on her lips and black, bottomless, button eyes. There was mercy in those eyes, and Coraline yearned for that caring. The figure ghosted over to where Coraline was huddled into the corner and reached down to run her fingers against Coraline's cheek. The girl flinched backwards, just like an abused animal.

"It's alright," Soothed the woman. She slowly touched Coraline's face again. "It had to be done honey, you had to stay in here for awhile. But now you can come out and become a part of this place."

"Who put me in here?" whispered the girl. Her memories were shadows, with filters of black over specific details; like someones face or the sound of a voice. The woman's face scrunched up in a disgusted face.

"A horrible woman stuck you in here. She was your mother, but she didn't love you. Not one bit. I'm your _Other Mother_ and I love you so much more than she did." The creatures lies were hidden under a smile which Coraline easily bought. She didn't even care. This Other Mother was nice to her; nicer than anyone had been in this world she had been locked into.

The woman took the girl's hand and gently lifted her up off the floor.

"There's one thing that we have to do so that you can stay. You don't want to stay in here, right?" Asked Coraline's Other Mother.

"No, oh please no!" Begged Coraline. She would do anything to leave this room forever. Her mother smiled, exposing pointed teeth. Her button eyes gleamed.

"All you need to do is let me sew in some beautiful button eyes, then you will part of me forever," she explained. Coraline agreed instantly. It was worth it. Anything was worth it.

The girl tightened her grip on her new mothers hand. She was led out of the room, letting loose a giant sigh as they passed through the doorway.

**A/N: So what did you think? Comments are well appreciated.**


	4. Blank Canvas

Chapter 4

_"All you need to do is let me sew in some beautiful button eyes, then you will part of me forever," she explained. Coraline agreed instantly. It was worth it. Anything was worth it._

_The girl tightened her grip on her new mothers hand. She was led out of the room, letting loose a giant sigh as they passed through the doorway._

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An old sewing kit sat on top of the kitchen table. Coraline sat down in one of the chairs obediently, as her new, wonderful Other Mother rummaged inside the bag. A needle and thread were pulled out, along with two ink black buttons.

"Now don't worry honey, this won't hurt a bit," the women soothed as she threaded the string through the needle. Coraline was anxious, and held the bottom of her chair with a vice grip.

'It won't hurt,' she told herself, 'It's better than being back there.'

"Ready sweety?" asked her new mother. She nodded in response. The needle went in, and everything went black. After a few moments the Other Mother stepped back. "There! That's all you needed! You look beautiful Coraline!"

Coraline tried to blink, as her eyesight was blurry. She found that she could not move her eyelids, however. They had been sewn shut to place the buttons over. Instead, her vision slowly grew clearer. Things looked duller, and flat with these new eyes.

Her mother handed her a mirror and she looked at herself, the first time she had seen her true reflection since her imprisonment. Her face was thin, her hair was a mess and, most importantly, two alien button eyes stared back at her.

"Now you truly are a part of me dear. You don't know how happy this makes me!" Her mother reached over the back of her chair and hugged her gently. "You see, I told you. I win. I _always_win." And with that sentence the house started to disinegrate.

"What's happening?" Coraline asked in fright. The walls of the house dissapeared and the trend was continuing through the floorboards.

"It's tiresome to keep this place up all the time," she replied. Coraline noted that her voice seemed a lot less interested than the moment before. The comforting arms around the teens shoulders lifted up and the Other Mother sighed. "Another game done then I suppose." She got up and started to walk into the growing white abyss.

"But wait! What about me?" Coraline called. Her only source of compassion was fading fast. This woman no longer wanted her.

'You're mine Coraline, I've won you.' Coraline shuddered as she heard the Other Mother's voice not out loud, but in her head, 'You're an old toy, one I've just grown tired of,' Coraline watched as she shrugged, 'It's on to the next game.' And with that she disappeared into the white surroundings and the whole kitchen dissappeared as well.

Tears welled up behind her eyelids as she stared at the place where the other mother had stood. Coraline had lost. This was all some terrible game of the Other Mother, and she was just another victom.

The fallen player sat dejectedly in the kitchen chair, as finally she and everything else disappeared into the Other Mother's being.

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Coraline didn't wake up. Rather, her mind slowly began to come back into focus. A single thought drifted lazily, 'Where am I?'.

White.

Everything was simply white.

Coraline attempted to look down at herself, but found she had no head to move, nor a body to look at. All there was was her thoughts. She tried to say something, but in this world their was no sound.

'What is this place?', she wondered.

'I don't think it really has a name,' replied a voice. Coraline would have jumped in fright, if she had a body to do so with. A worried emotion seemed to puncture the blank abyss near her.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you,' said the voice again, Coraline could feel they meant it. 'I just wanted to talk to someone new for a change.'

'Am...am I in heaven?' Coraline thought to her companion. She felt them sigh.

'You are not so lucky, my friend. This is The Master's world. She's planing out her next conquest now. We're just in her blank canvas,' It explained.

'And who is your master?'

'You probably know her as your Other Mother. But she controls us now, we are just pawns to her.' Coraline understood. She was always just a pawn for the Other Mother.

'What exactly does she need us for, and who are you?' she questioned. The voice didn't respond for a while.

'I...I can't really remember who I am,' it admitted.

'I'm so sorry about that,' she said after a moment, 'I'm C-,' she stopped. She knew it started with a C. But what was the rest of it? What _was_ her name?

'You can't remember either I see. Names are always the first to go,' it explained in a sad voice. 'It doesn't really matter here anyway. The Master will just twist us into whatever shape she needs and gives us a new name.'

'So, all of the Other People are just souls she's already won?' Coraline questioned in surprise. The already trapped souls were used to capture new victims. How efficient of the Other Mother.

'Yes, that's true. I must remind you though, to call her Master. It makes her happy that way.' Coraline silently agreed. Better to keep her happy.

'Where is the Master?' Coraline wondered.

'She's just like us, she only gives herself a body once she has her next target,' the voice explained. 'She isn't really paying attention to all of us now because she's planning.'

'How many of us are there?'

'Oh, too many to count I would think,' the voice answered. The tenor of their thought was deep with depression and Coraline didn't respond for a long time. She finally realized they had gone away, drifting back into the endless white. Coraline slowly allowed herself to be eaten up by emptiness as well, deciding to just let go of it all.

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**A/N: ...Wow, yes I know. Update epic fail. DX. I'm sorry it's so short, but I really needed to end it here for the next chapter, which I will (hopefully) put up soon!! Special thanks to The Capslock Savior whose comment made me write the last few sentences I had been stuck on and finally upload this! I hope you enjoy. :) **


	5. Piano Lessons

Chapter 5

"_And then it came to her that, should she open the bedroom door she would find it empty, or more precisely, that it was an empty room and it would remain empty until the exact moment that she opened the door." –__Coraline__ by Neil Gaiman. Page 66_

The house was starting to take shape again, just like it always did. First the outlines of its edges would crawl up and form the basic building. Then the grounds outside of the apartment building would slowly be sketched out. Colors were filled in and rooms given depth, attention to detail impeccable.

All in preparation for the new child.

She had been through the scenario several times before since she had become part of the Other Mother. It was nothing: routine, her job. Lure the child in, make them happy, and then win them over to stay. It was her job to do whatever it took to make this world as mesmerizing as she could for the new child, and now she was a major player.

What once had been Coraline stayed still in the space where the top apartment would be, waiting for the whole house to flesh up. This was the part she loved most. From an absolutely blank world came a gloriously solid one; there were places to stand, to sit, _to be._ She wouldn't fully materialize until it was her turn, but she couldn't wait. She would do whatever she could to make the child stay, to please the Master.

Finally, everything was in its place. The whole house seemed to hold its breath. She could feel the Other Mother tight with anticipation, waiting for the game to start anew. The whole cast of characters were already set up. The 'Other Father' close by to the Master, the 'Other brother' in his room, the 'Other Nasty Old Lady Who Lives Downstairs', and finally her.

The tension broke as the door slowly pulled open. She could almost _feel_ the soft footsteps as they tentatively crossed the carpeted floor. Searching, uncertain footsteps. A small voice echoed through the house.

"Um, uh excuse me? Is anyone here?" Even from her position in the upstairs apartment, she who had been Coraline could hear the nervous voice. A little girl had fallen into the game this time. Interesting, she thought.

The Masters voice called to the child. "Gloria! There you are! I am so happy you finally made it back home." And with that the child met her Other Mother.

"Mommy!" the little girl's call rang through the house. Then silence for a moment. "You have button eyes," She whispered. All of the other souls held their breath. If the child decided to leave right there and then it would be hard to lure her in once more. Not impossible, but more difficult, and no one liked to be near the Master when she was annoyed that her prey had escaped her.

"Don't worry my Gloria, I am your Other Mother. I know how bored you were in your old apartment. But it's much nicer here. I hope you like it," the Master assured her in a loving, motherly voice.

"I have another mommy?" the small girl asked, confused. The Master started up her old speech.

"Of course you do! Everyone has an Other Mother, and an Other Father. Why don't you go explore around the house before lunch?"

"Um, okay," the girl replied.

From her high point in the house she-who-had-been-Coraline could hear the girl look around her new home. Her new Other Brother let her play video games with her. Her Other father chased her around the house a little while she laughed in delight. And then…

And then she started up the stairs. With each step up the stair she took the apartment upstairs grew more solid. A small hand reached out and grasped the door handle and turned it.

In that second many things happened at once. In a flash the room became completely firm. A small space was filled neatly with belongings, the largest of which was a piano in the corner of the room, well used but taken care of. And she was solid too. Not just a passing thought on the brink of giving up. No, she was _real_. She had hands to feel with and eyes to see with and everything in-between. To her, this is what made her life worthwhile.

Also in that second she received all the information she needed from the Master about this new child. The little girl's name was Gloria Glade. She was seven years old and pretty lonely at home because her parents were busy and her older brother didn't like playing with her. Coraline was the Other Mr. Green, the original had a piano which he played all day but refused to let Gloria play.

"Hello?" Gloria asked hesitantly as she peeked her head around the door. What met her gaze was a tall and skinny middle aged man with jet black hair and button eyes. The Other Mr. Green smiled.

"Welcome Gloria. Would you like to try playing my piano?" The Other Mr. Green asked.

"Are you sure? Before you told me I couldn't touch it at all."

"No it's completely fine. Come, sit." The man motioned to the seat. Gloria walked over and sat down and commenced to smash the keys in a frenzied song for several minutes. The Other Mr. Green nodded his head along with the non-existent beat and then clapped when she finished. Gloria smiled brightly, warming up to his presence.

"Could you teach me how to play a song?" she asked. He agreed and sat down next to her.

"How about _Mary Had A Little Lamb_?" he quickly played a few notes on the black and white keys. She shook her head, blonde pigtails smacking her face. He quickly listed a few more that the original Mr. Green knew. Each was refused. The Other Mr. Green frowned, and then started to run his fingers over the keys trying to think of more beginner songs. A shadow of a melody whispered softly in his ears and he slowly hit the right keys. The original Mr. Green didn't like this piece and didn't play if often. Yet, as the notes started to hit the right tempo and the harmonies picked up, the Other Mr. Green remembered loving to play this song, with a friend leaning over her shoulder showing her which notes to play.

No. No. _He_ was Mr. Green. He had never been a girl, nor had anyone taught him this song. It was in a huge booklet of Beethoven's lyrics which he had memorized. He banished the false memory away.

"I think that one might be a little hard for me," Gloria laughed. Her stomach then let out an audible grumble and she wrapped her arms around it. "I guess I should go downstairs and get lunch." She got up and headed for the door.

"I hope to see you soon," the Other Mr. Green told her. She turned around and seemed to think for a minute.

"You're different," she said slowly, having trouble expressing what she thought.

"I am better than the _other_ Mr. Green. I just want you to enjoy yourself."

"No, it's not that," she looked up and her tiny eyes pierced through his flat black ones, "You're different than the others down there. You're nicer and and… real…? I don't know. I guess I'm not making lots of sense. Goodbye Other Mr. Green!" She turned and shut the door, racing for the peanut butter and jelly sandwich that awaited her downstairs.

The Other Mr. Green stood there as the room once again became empty. He didn't even notice the disintegrating feeling that usually filled him with dread. Instead he stood there shocked.

He was different than the others?


	6. A Decision

Chapter 6

The child didn't return for several days. The Master was slowly becoming angry. The house's structure curled underneath her silent seething, the walls turned in on themselves. And as the days past the Other Mr. Green tried not to think at all.

Because he hoped she wouldn't come back.

If the Master noticed these thoughts he would instantly be destroyed. Any of her servants were obliterated if they thought anything traitorous. Luckily, with how many servants she had, it was hard for her to notice everything that flitted through their minds. This is the only thing that kept the Other Mr. Green safe.

He kept hoping that Gloria wouldn't come back. If she stayed away, then she would be safe. Safe from the Master, safe from this other world and safe from him.

The Other Mr. Green mentally shook himself again. He mustn't wish for these things. Children came to the Other World to be captured by the Master. Simple as that. Chanting this over and over in his head did little to help.

Gloria came the next day.

As the Master felt her presence in the ancient hall, she restored the house to its normal form and put everything right for the child's second visit.

The Other Mr. Green floated where the upstairs flat would be. Waiting for her to come into his room, selfishly hoping she would talk to him once again.

Gloria quickly greeted her Other Mother and asked if she could go upstairs for awhile. The Other Mr. Green could feel the slight confusion from the Master's mind at the girl's words, but instantly agreed, as long as she came down for lunch in an hour. She was beginning to suspect something, which did not bode well for the Other Mr. Green.

As she opened the door to the room the Other Mr. Green steeled himself. He mustn't get attached to this little girl who would just become the Master's next victim. Yet, as the tiny girl skipped into the room he felt happier.

"Hello, Gloria. We are glad that you are back."

"Hello Mr. Green!" she replied, "Can I play on your piano again?" He nodded. She seated herself down on the bench and scrunched her eyes together, trying to remember something. She slowly hit the keys in front of her, and as she gained confidence, played the keys faster. The Other Mr. Green realized that she was playing Mary Had A Little Lamb.

"When did you learn to play that?" he asked in surprise. She smiled widely at him.

"I borrowed a book from my school library and memorized the notes! It took me awhile, so I wasn't able to come back for a few days. Do you like it?"

Sure, she was off on a few notes. But the fact that she had gone home and memorized a song just to impress him really struck a chord.

"It's wonderful." He assured her. He then sat down next to her and taught her several more songs. The Other Mr. Green listened to her stories and laughed for the first time since, well simply for the first time he could remember. This girl simply brightened him up. A call from downstairs broke the fantasy apart.

"Gloria! Lunch is ready!" Gloria groaned. She turned to Other Mr. Green.

"I promise to eat quickly so I can come back up really soon, OK?" The Other Mr. Green started to get nervous. She was spending far too much time with him. The Master was going to start paying extra attention to him if this continued.

"I think that you've spent enough time with me today. You should go play with your loving Other Mother. She just wants to spend time with you." His words sounded hollow in his ears. Gloria looked down sadly.

"I like spending time with you though. You're funny and nice. Can we be friends?" she looked up and asked. He felt a stab at his consciousness coming from the Master downstairs.

'Lure her in, say yes.'

"Of course we can be friends," the Other Mr. Green replied. It felt like a lie, since the Master turned the promise into a trap.

Gloria sprung up and gave him a quick hug then bounded out of the room. The Other Mr. Green sat there as the room dematerialized. He had never felt happier, and guiltier.

Their meetings went on for the next few days as the Other Mr. Green taught the little girl as many songs as she was capable of. He hoped that their time together wouldn't end. Being with her was the first time he had ever felt alive. He felt the overpowering need to protect her. Yet he knew that he never could. She was his target. He knew that in a matter of time he would have to hand her over to the Master.

She approached him after a whole day of playing the piano. He knew she was coming by the sinking feeling where his stomach would have been, slowly clenching up in fear as she came into the room. The Master was far from motherly looking. She was tall enough to touch the ceiling, her body out of proportion and sickeningly thin. Her flat button eyes glared down at him while her long fingernails tapped against her arm, annoyed.

"Don't think I haven't noticed those thoughts you have been having," she started acidly. The Other Mr. Green tensed up, horrified that he had been caught. She smiled an amused grin. "Oh yes. 'I don't want Gloria to get hurt!' or 'I need to protect her!' How do you think you would manage that?" She leaned toward him threateningly.

"I-I wouldn't Master. I would never go against you," he stuttered. Fear tickled his spine as he waited for what the Master would do. Her black eyes flashed in annoyance.

"I will only keep here because she finds you interesting. Anymore thoughts like that, however, and I will make a new Mr. Green for my darling to play with, got it?" He nodded in response. "Good."

And with that she disappeared into the house.

The Other Mr. Green practiced thinking nothing until Gloria came back. He was nothing. She meant nothing. Don't think about anything.

But of course he couldn't. Even as he stared blankly into nothingness, he knew that he would try to save her. There was something gnawing at the back of his mind; an overwhelming sense that he hadn't always been here. Some might call it hope, he called it desperation.

The time to betray the Other Mother was now, and the Other Mr. Green was ready for it. He didn't think of a plan to save Gloria, because the Other Mother was watching his thoughts carefully. Yet he _felt _how he was going to save her, and the Other Mother had much more difficulty deciphering emotions.

Soft footsteps echoed through the hallway towards the Other Apartment. The Other Mr. Green tried not to tense in anticipation. _Playing the piano, she needs to learn these chords, I wonder if she'll like… _is what he allowed to drift through his head. The Other Mother suspected nothing as she awaited her child's return.

"Hello Other Mother!" called Gloria's young voice from downstairs.

"Hello dear-…" started the Other Mother.

The Other Mr. Green took advantage of her conversation to slip through the floor, not yet being tangible in the house. He landed behind the Other Mother who gave a small shriek of annoyance; Gloria looked at him in surprise.

It didn't take much to locate the key. It smelled of rotting flesh in his nostrils, the evils of it tainting the air. It was kept loosely in the Witch's pocket, not fearing anything since the young girl had no intentions of escape. His hand deftly slipped in, grabbed it, and then raced towards Gloria.

"YOU INSOLENT LITTLE-!" the Other Mother screamed, attempting to grab at the back of the Other Mr. Green. Yet she missed as another soul shot out of the wall and hit her hand.

The other captured souls of the Master had been listening to the Other Mr. Green's rebellious thoughts for the past few days, and some had decided that there was nothing left but to risk obliteration. The floor was moving up to swallow the Other Mother's feet as she stomped and scratched it away.

The Other Mr. Green and Gloria raced through the door in the sitting room. Opening the door, the pianist rushed Gloria through then slammed it behind him, locking it shut. Then he took Gloria's hand once more and raced through the hall. Screaming could be heard behind the door as the Other Mother attempted to claw through it, still being barraged by her previous servants.

"Mr. Green, what's happening? How-why?" Gloria asked terrified. It was pitch black in the tunnel, and the two of them were tripping over unseen barriers on the floor.

"The Other Mother was trying to take you captive. She would have sewn buttons on your eyes, and then taken your soul for her to keep," he explained. But with every step he could feel the vestiges of Mr. Green melt off, until there was only a faintly glowing girl of fifteen holding the young girls hand.

"Mr. Green?" Gloria asked, shocked at the change in appearance of her savior. Coraline shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. Listen to me Gloria, when you get home, lock the door tightly behind you. Don't forget. You need to destroy it. You can't hide it, or bury it somewhere. The key _needs _to be destroyed. You can try breaking it into a million pieces, or melting it down to nothing. If you don't, this will just keep happening over and over again. The Other Mother will claim more lives and she'll be unstoppable. Do you promise to destroy it?"

"Yes, yes, I promise. Thank you," she replied earnestly. The two of them could see a light up ahead as they approached the other side. Bursting through the doorway, Gloria locked the door behind her with a sound _click._

"There! We did it!" she turned around to face her rescuer, but all there was only a fine dust in the air.

"You did a great job," came a voice from the dust. Gloria smiled.

"Thank you very much, you saved my life…"

"Coraline, my name was- is Coraline."

"Thank you Coraline."

The little girl watched as the dust slowly dissipated, wiped the tears away from her eyes, then gripped the key firmly in her grasp. She would soon destroy it. For Coraline, for herself, and for whoever else would have entered that room. She left the sitting room to ask her father where she could send a key to be melted down.

**A/N: Finally decided to finish this, since it's been God-knows-when since the last update. I hope it fulfills what you wanted in the story. If not? I'm not going to fix it, too lazy. Yay for finishing my longest story ever! :D *shot***


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